Ingredients
1½cupsall-purpose flour,spoon and leveled
1tspbaking powder
½tspbaking soda
½tspsalt
2tspground cinnamon
¼tspground nutmeg
½cupcanola oil,or vegetable oil
¼cupbrown sugar,packed light or dark
½cupgranulated sugar
1large egg,at room temperature
1tsppure vanilla extract
1¼cupszucchini,(1 medium zucchini), no need to blot dry
sugar,coarse for topping, optional
5ozblock cream cheese,softened to room temperature
1egg yolk,at room temperature
½tsppure vanilla extract
3tbspgranulated sugar
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with cupcake liners.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla extract together. Whisk in the zucchini.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk or stir until just combined. Avoid over-mixing.
Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Beat in the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and sugar until combined.
Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of zucchini muffin batter into the muffin cups. Layer with 1 tablespoon of cream cheese filling, then another heaping tablespoon of muffin batter– or however much batter is needed to fill the cups all the way to the top.
Sprinkle muffins with coarse sugar, if desired.
Bake for 5 minutes in the preheated oven, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce heat to 350 degrees F and continue baking for another 15 to 17 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes in the pan before serving.
Serve and enjoy.
